Association of Cricket Officials Issue 27 | Page 30

An Update from the Scorer Education Manager (SEM) I hope that you all had an enjoyable season without the need for any Duckworth Lewis Stern (or similar) calculations and without too many ‘incidents’ to test your scoring knowledge. The Kent and Leicestershire county first XI scorers were put to the test at the start of their season, when Kent opener Sean Dickson was given out Handled the Ball (a dismissal I have not yet had to record myself). Having missed the ball, Sean saw it roll back towards his stumps and his instincts made him swipe it away with his hand, and in doing so, break Law 33. So, as the scorer in this match – how would you have recorded it? Would you have known what was going on? If not, how would you have found out? What would you have written in the How Out column? Would you have attributed this wicket to the bowler? If you are using a computerised scoring system, is there an option for this type of dismissal, otherwise how would you have entered it? My scoring preference is for Total Cricket Scorer (on a laptop) with a linear sheet for backup, but I’m sure that many of you use other scoring packages. Can they all cope with this type of dismissal? Please do contact me with your comments and suggestions on how to score this via [email protected] and I will report back in the next issue. Thanks to John Williams of Suffolk who made contact (via the Editor) to share with me his spreadsheet that he uses to print off as a paper backup when scoring on his iPad. John says: ‘I find it useful to also record each ball event on a paper sheet. I use this to check that what I have entered onto the iPad is correct. It is also useful when something goes wrong with the computer or when (not if) I make a mistake, and then re-enter the correct information.’ I agree with John that using a paper backup when scoring via any computer software is essential. It is really difficult to correct the inevitable mistakes while play continues. Without the ability to write down what is happening while I move to an Edit screen to correct things, I would find it very hard to catch up with the current action. If the team that I’m scoring for doesn’t require me to complete a paper scorebook for them, then I use a linear sheet for this purpose, which I can throw away at the end of the match if it’s no longer needed. What are your views on this? Do you rely on your colleague to help you catch up, or are you an advocate of a paper backup? For anyone wanting to try a linear sheet, you will find the ECB ACO linear scoresheet in the Scorer’s Info folder of InEx (visit www.whostheumpire.com and see ‘Information Store for Scorers’ article for further information). If you haven’t yet experienced linear scoring, why not look out for one of our linear workshops run over the winter season? Now is the time to branch out and try some new skills that might enhance your enjoyment of the game next season. You should find an increasing number of scorer courses displayed on the ECB ACO website over the coming months. Sue Drinkwater Scorer Education Manager Information Store for Scorers Did you know there is a central information store for scorers (and umpires) called InEx? To get yourself a WTU account: To access InEx: • Visit www.whostheumpire.com • It is within a website called Who’s the Umpire (WTU), which many umpires are used to visiting for their appointments. Scorers on the other hand are not. This should not, however, stop any scorer from having a WTU account and accessing the scorer information via InEx. • Click the Login button in the top right corner of the screen. Visit www.whostheumpire.com and login using your username (email address) and password, selecting Cricket as your database. • Click on the option Sign up as new user. • • Complete all the fields on screen and then click on Proceed. Click on InEx in the left-hand menu and you will see whatever folders you have been given permission to view. • • Choose your county as the organisation and put ECB ACO in the comments box. • Follow the prompts to complete the request and await an email confirming your account creation. Click on ECB Public and you should find a sub folder called Scorers Info, containing forms to help build a scoring portfolio, blank scoresheets in various formats and other useful aids for scoring. If you have any suggestions for documents to be included in this folder, please send them to Sue Drinkwater – Scorer Education Manager at [email protected] 30 email us at [email protected] contact us on 0121 446 2710